Interstellar
by askmila
Summary: Slightly AU. Exploration of primarily Shep and Thane, and the crew. Traveling from Mass Relay to Star system takes weeks. This is what happens in the time between missions, with the crew getting to know each other very well. Thane/Shep falling in love. Begins after Freedom's Progress, ME2. T for now (language) and possibly M in the future.
1. Chapter 1

Shepard's mind was reeling. She had so much to digest; the apparent loss of two years, the loss of her crewmates (exempting Joker and Chakwas), the loss of her very life. So much loss. After getting briefly acquainted with the Cerberus crew and investigating Freedom's Progress, she had been struck with the urgency of the situation. The Collectors had to be stopped. With seemingly no help coming from anywhere but the human terrorist organization, she decided to pull herself up by the bootstraps and get on with it. The rest would come in time.

So, The Illusive Man wanted words with her. He'd given Miranda a list of potential recruits and they were en route to Omega. Nothing to do now but find a way to bide the time of space flight. Even with the relays, interstellar flight still took a good chunk of time; after all, they were traveling many light years. Even traveling the speed of light, it sometimes took weeks to reach the destination. No matter, Shepard was raised on starships and was rather acclimatized to such long periods of time cooped up in a small space with a lot of people.

However, right now, the ship was feeling a bit... empty.

Shepard busied herself with getting to know some of the new crew at first. She decided she rather liked Kelly, the resident psychologist. She was lighthearted and had a smile that could light up a room. Oh yes, they would be fast friends indeed. Miranda, however.. Shepard had taken to privately referring to her as "the ice queen." She was apparently trying to see just how quickly she could get on Shepard's shit list. The constant nagging and questioning about Shepard's mental health was getting really old really quick.. but somehow, Shepard was going to make this cold, isolated woman her friend. In time. That is, if she could tolerate her that long. Hmph.

Jacob reminded her a lot of Kaiden. Loyal, duty driven, but there was just something about him that rubbed her the wrong way. Albeit, he was much more kind than his former lover, Miranda, she was still holding onto her reservations.

Days had passed and she felt the absence of her best friend Garrus keenly. What she wouldn't give to see him right now. Hell, she'd settle for just being able to contact him. Oh, god. He was probably devastated when she died. She probably would have lost her mind if it had been Garrus who died.. First opportunity she had, she was going to find him. It was settled. And Tali? Sweet, innocent Tali? She had to find her old crew asap. If she had to be working for Cerberus, she needed people she could trust watching her back.

After her normal routine of chatting with the skeleton crew, she would work out incessantly. Exercise, and the bone tired weariness that came along with it, was all she sought out hoping to sleep her way to Omega. She couldn't wait to get to some kind of society. She needed to see what happened in the galaxy during her absence. She'd slept so much she could hardly stand it. It was high time to go bother Joker.

She crept up behind the pilot silently and bent right down to his ear and whispered, "Miss me, Moreau?"

Joker jumped visibly, hands flailing to seek the source of the noise, but quickly regained his composure and let out a huff. "Dammit, Commander. How many times have I told you to knock that off already? You trying to make me break my ribs? _All of them?_"

She arched a brow and giggled. "Good to see you haven't changed. Oh, and even though I'm a cyborg zombie or whatever.. I haven't changed either. There are a hundred ways I've planned to terrorize my favorite pilot." She threw him a wink and plopped down in the neighboring seat, pulling her knees up to her chin and grinning mischievously.

"Just great. Now I have two bionic women to deal with, as if this loud-mouthed AI wasn't enough." He glared at the large red mute button on the control panel, and slid his eyes to Shepard. "Can't we just like.. you know.. unplug it?"

"Mr. Moreau, that would be ill-advised. My systems are designed to uphold optimal functioning-"

"EDI, enough! I know, you've only told me about a hundred times already! Ugh." He slammed his fist on the button, and gave Shepard a scathing look. "Seriously. There's got to be something we can do about … that."

"Joker, you're really gonna let a sweet little AI get you all riled up? Come, now. I'd expect more from you." The sarcasm was practically dripping from her voice. Joker rolled his eyes at her. "But seriously, Joker, how have you been? How did you get tangled up in all of this?"

"It wasn't like I planned on it. Watching you get spaced for me..well, Shepard. It wasn't even a choice. When they got in touch with me and told me they'd give me my baby back _and_ my CO, I couldn't say no. The Alliance was dicking around anyway. What was it Garrus used to say? 'Too much red tape?' Yeah, I'm beginning to think he had it right."

The mention of her lost best friend struck a nerve. "Have you heard from him? Any of them? I've got to tell them I'm alive.. They won't believe it. I can hardly believe it."

"After you died, we all kind of..split up. Everyone went their separate ways. No one's really stayed in touch, except for Chakwas. The tough old bird just can't stay away from her favorite patient. When you have one as handsome as me, I can't say I blame her. I've always had a way with women."

Shepard gave him a half-hearted smile, but he could see she was hurt.

"Shepard, listen. I can't imagine what you're going through. But don't worry. We'll find them. We've got your back. We're your team. Besides, I still need to see you pull the stick out of Garrus' ass and beat him with it. I've had a betting pool on who would win that fight for a long time, believe me."

"Thanks, Joker. I guess you're right. Nothing I can do right now, at any rate. How much longer until we reach Omega?"

He shrugged. "Two more days. You're going to catch us a vigilante and a doctor? Nice. Let's just keep the crazy toned down this time, alright? I've got enough going on as it is. I can't babysit your crew all day, Shepard."

She smirked. "Alright, alright. Yeah, we'll see if they're any good. I'm reluctant about taking anyone on Cerberus' recommendation, but we'll see. We're gonna need a helluva team to get through this." Joker nodded in agreement. Before he could say anything else, Shepard interrupted him. "Joker.. I don't want to be alone. Some fucking genius installed a skylight over my bed. Like I want to stare into the cause of my death nightly, like it's a good bedtime story. I can't shake the nightmares. Can I just stay here for a while? I'll get out of your hair soon enough. You can update me on the happenings of the galaxy, that surprisingly survived without me for a whole _two years_."

Joker snorted. "God, that sounds rough. Sure, Commander. I could use a little company myself. Let's see, in the last two years..."

It wasn't until he looked over thirty minutes later that he saw the commander sleeping, a little bit of drool coming out of her mouth. Attractive. Yes, this is the Savior of the Citadel. Sleeping beauty. He smiled and went back to work.

It was good to have her back.


	2. Chapter 2

They came bustling through the airlock, Chakwas on the ready. Garrus was dying. Things didn't look good. He didn't stand a chance against that gunship. Chakwas shooed everyone away so she could get to work.. good thing they were well stocked in the medbay.

Shepard collapsed in the mess, still covered in Garrus' blood. She couldn't breathe. How could she fuck up so royally? She literally rose from the dead and stumbled upon her lost best friend, and now she'd gone and gotten him killed. She couldn't do this. This train of thought was going nowhere and fast. Gotta stay positive. If anyone can get him through this, it's Chakwas.

Several excruciating and tear-filled hours later, Chakwas stepped out into the mess. Shepard was on her feet and beside her before she could even blink.

"Is he okay?" Shepard pleaded desperately.

Chakwas cracked a grin. "Yes, darling, yes. Calm down now. Garrus is a tough one. He's alright. I just fixed him up with some cybernetic implants now, dear. He looks a little worse for wear, but he'll make a full recovery."

Shepard threw her arms around the doctor. "Oh thank god, thankgodthankgod. Thank you Chakwas. I can never thank you enough." She was in tears with joy, thankfully, instead of grief.

"Alright now lovely, why don't you just go wash that .. blood off now, hmm? Go. Shoo. Go take a shower, eat, and rest. I'll wake you when he wakes up. Now, off with you."

Shepard was so happy she didn't even care she was being ordered around by the doctor, so she did as she was told...mostly. No way she could sleep until she got to see Garrus. She decided to pay a visit to Joker.

Silently, ever so slowly, Shepard approached the pilot. She was still just bursting with joy and couldn't bring herself to scare the living hell out of him. But she wanted to spread the joy.

She planted a nice, juicy kiss right on his unshaven cheek. "Joker! Did you hear? Garrus is going to be fine! Oh, Archangel is Garrus! He got nailed with a rocket launcher and Chakwas saved his ass."

Sufficiently startled, Joker grimaced. "Commander. I know I'm irresistible, but maybe try to resist a little more next time. Brittle bones, remember? And wait, what the shit? You got Garrus? See, I told you we'd find him. Chakwas has her work cut out for her, between the two of you brutes on the field trying to get blown up.. Next time you want to get shot, just ask me. I'd be happy to oblige." He threw Shepard his most enigmatic smile, doe-eyed.

"Laugh it up, toothpick. I'd like to see you try."

"Believe it or not, I was Alliance trained, too, Shepard. I'm a pretty good shot. I just happen to be the most talented pilot in the galaxy and you-"

"Excuse me, Mr. Moreau. Commander, Chakwas asked that I immediately inform you that Mr. Vakarian is awake."

She had jumped up the moment EDI spoke. She was barreling down the hallway before Joker was finished scowling.

Chakwas didn't even have time to speak before Shepard jumped in the bed with Garrus, throwing her arms around him gleefully.

"Woah now, girl. Take it easy. You'll mess up my beautiful face." He said, chuckling.. and hugging her back.

"Sorry, Gare. You scared me to death. Don't tempt me, I've already died once just to come back and tell you how ugly you are." She released her death grip on him but remained on the bed.

He chuckled and shook his head at her when Chakwas spoke up. "Garrus, you're all ready to go whenever you'd like. Come back and see me tomorrow, I'll have your medicine ready."

The duo walked out of the med bay and Shepard lead them to the Main Battery.

"So, how bad is it?" gesturing to his face.

"Ah, you were always ugly, Garrus. Just slap some facepaint on it and no one will even notice."

"Hah! Women love bad boys. Now I'm going to be taking all of the attention from you." He looked in the mirror. "Oh, definitely. Wait and see, I'm going to have so many marriage proposals my terminal will be full...all from Krogan women, of course."

"Ouch. Thanks for that mental image, buddy. I think you broke my brain with that one. Anyway, I literally can't think of anything I want more than to sit here and catch up on the clusterfuck that has become my life, but I have a doctor to go recruit before we can head out. I already wasted enough time while you got your beauty sleep, big guy." She threw him a grin. "I'm really glad you're okay. Don't get mad."

"Don't get mad?"

"Don't get mad. I can't take you for this. There's some black plague virus that apparently only nonhumans can get where this doctor is holed up. You're already recovering and I don't need you drawing any attention from the local gangs... Archangel."

"Black..plague? They all think I'm dead! Shepard, there is no way you're leaving me here. We just got reunited. And I don't know what the hell is going on! Cerberus? You're alive? No, no. No way. Not a chance you're leaving me here." If looks could kill, Shepard would have been a smoking pile of ashes.

"Nevermind." She let out a long huff. "Relax. It's going to be in and out, no worries. And I'll answer all of your questions when I get back. Trust me, I don't want to leave you. I won't have you out of the game any longer than you have to be. You've always got my six, Gare. Gotta go." She gave him a quick hug and peck on the cheek before he could gripe anymore and ran all the way to CIC.

"EDI, tell Miranda and Jacob to be ready in five. We've got a doctor to recruit."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:**

**Three chapters in a day? I'm honestly just trying to get to the part of the story where we have more characters to work with. Especially our favorite Drell, but we still have some people to gather on Omega! Don't worry, we'll be in flight soon.**

Shepard came sauntering back on the Normandy with two new recruits in tow.

"What the hell 're ya all lookin' at, eh? Never seen a bloody merc before? Go on, take a good look. Eat yer bloody hearts out. Especially you there, beauiful." Zaeed gave Kelly a particularly scandalous look and raised a rugged eyebrow. She squeaked and pretended not to notice. "Hah. S'alright there, sweet'art. Get it out of your system. We gotta focus on being big goddam heroes." He strutted off to the conference room with Moridin leading the way, muttering something unintelligible along the lines of "human mating rituals" and "extranet".. Shepard wasn't even sure she wanted to know.

Exasperated, she saw Garrus out of the corner of her eye looking very confused. She met his inquisitive gaze with a dismissive and apologetic gesture and went to debrief the new additions to the family.

"Moridin, Zaeed.. This is EDI. She will tell you where to set up camp. I'll come by and speak to you both after you get settled. Any questions?"

"Ah, an AI? Interesting, unexpected. Cerberus. Pro-human terrorist group. Heard of during time with STG. Curious. Have noted nonhumans in the crew, and now the addition of sentient technology. Intriguing. Shepard. Care to explain?"

"All in good time, Moridin. Unless there's anything else?" She looked to Massani who just shrugged and sauntered out of the room. Moridin nodded acceptance and followed suit. Shepard took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Wow. What is she getting herself into? Just then, her omnitool lit up. It was a message from Garrus.

**GV**: Shepard? Your cabin?

Of course, she still had to talk with Garrus and the anticipation was killing her. She responded.

**KS**: Grab some liquor and head on up. Meet you there ASAP.

Shepard shook her head to try and focus some of her reeling thoughts on her to-do list. She leaned against the wall with a huff. Time to start sending some messages; she was grimy and stunk to high heavens and the thought of social interaction was...less than appealing. Thank god for omnitools.

**KS**: Joker, set a course for the Citadel. We've got a thief to catch.

**JM**: Aye, aye. So, really successful trip to Omega there, Commander. This sounds like the beginning of a bad joke. Commander Shepard, a mad scientist salarian, and a bloodthirsty merc walk into a bar...

**KS**: Ha-ha, dick. I'll stop by later. A lot to do right now. Be nice to EDI. She can't smell you.

Thank god she could walk and type simultaneously. One more message and she'd finally, blessedly, get to take a shower.

**KS**: Miranda, I'll file reports TOMORROW. I'm tired and we have a long flight ahead of us. Going to Citadel to get Kasumi. Goodnight.

**ML**: The Illusive Man won't like that, but I'm glad you got Zaeed and Moridin. Goodnight, Commander. We'll meet first thing in the morning. See you at breakfast.

Shepard was walking out of the elevator and into her cabin and decided she did not have enough face to palm. With a loud sigh, she entered the room and immediately perked up. Garrus was waiting on her.

"Shepard, you look .. disgusting." he deadpanned.

"Wonderful. Pour me a drink, would you? EDI, ask Gardener to send me something to eat. You hungry, Gare? I'm starving."

"Just ate. Not like I had much better to do. I need some answers, Shepard. Hurry up in there." He called as she shut the bathroom door.

Garrus plopped back down on the couch with a bottle of Turian brandy and Elysium Vodka. He poured hers the way she liked it... straight. He listened to the water running in the bathroom and could faintly hear some... was that singing? He chuckled slightly. He'd forgotten she did that. He was staring at her skylight contemplating the installment when Gardener slipped in quietly and put Shepard's food down, nodded at Garrus, and left. Garrus was still recoiling from the horrible conglomerate on his best friend's plate when Shepard walked out in nothing but her birthday suit and went straight to her closet, rubbing a towel furiously on her wet hair. He choked and then chuckled again. He'd forgotten how immodest she was, too. Wow. He'd forgotten a lot. Could two years erode memory so?

Shepard started talking while she was pulling her pajamas on. "Thanks for waiting. I really needed that shower. I rushed all the way through Omega just to get back to talk to you." Now fully dressed, she plopped back down on the couch. Garrus fluttered his mandibles and took a shot. She followed suit.

"Mind telling me how you came back to life? And what the hell you're doing – we're doing – working for Cerberus?"

Shepard sighed again and took another shot. And another. "Okay, well, the long and short of it is.. I don't know how I'm alive, really. I mean Miranda did it. Cerberus did it. Whatever. Here I am." She shook her head, exasperated. "We're on the way to the Citadel now, to talk to the Council. I don't think they'll cave now and believe me. Anderson is there, too, so I'll probably get shut down by the Alliance, too. No one believes the reapers are real. Collectors are abducting entire colonies and no one is doing anything except for Cerberus. It's fucking repulsive. Cerberus is a means to an end, nothing more. If I'm walking into hell.. I want you with me."

Garrus was staring at her, slack-jawed, from her ridiculous explanation. He fluttered his mandibles and let out a huff. "Well, can't say I'd expect anything remotely normal involving you. I'd be one pissed off Turian if you decided to resurrect yourself and go out in a blaze of glory without me. In all seriousness, though, Shepard... When I saw you walking down that bridge, I thought I was hallucinating from lack of sleep. You were the single most beautiful sight I'd ever seen. There, my best friend, two years deceased.. showed up just in time to pull my ass out of the fire." He huffed and shook his head, running his hand over his face, and leaned over to take another shot. "I was broken when you died because I was helpless to stop it. I went to Omega to do something I thought you'd respect. I said to myself, 'what would Shepard do?' so I found the most scum infested rock in the galaxy and went to work. I tried to make a difference. I made a lot of enemies quick, but eventually word got around that I was looking for help and before I knew it I had my own team. Things were great for a while. I was really doing well. Felt good. But then... Sidonis." He practically growled and pounded another two shots, and was silent for a time.

Shepard was flabbergasted, and suddenly it all seemed much more real to her. What felt like only weeks had been two whole years, and now she'd seen how it had treated her best friend. She felt a small surge of pride that he'd try to honor her after her death by doing something noble and stupid, but then her heart broke when she saw the angry grief stricken look that had come over her slightly intoxicated friend. She'd been steadily drinking the entire time he was talking; she had unfortunately discovered on the trip to Omega that her alcohol tolerance exceeded that of a Krogan thanks to her new cybernetic liver, so she had to drink a considerate amount to get where she wanted to be tonight. "Oh, Garrus. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I left you. Alenko cost me seconds, precious seconds..when he didn't immediately follow my orders to leave. I could've made it. I'm so sorry. I'm here now, though, and so are you. But who is Sidonis?"

"Another time, Shepard. I just want to be with you tonight. We've gone through a lot. I want to get blindly drunk and forget about the last two years. That way, we'll be even. Cheers."

The two sat together in a long silence that eventually turned into lighthearted conversation and reminiscing. They did, in fact, get blindly drunk, and by the end of the night, Shepard had taught him an Irish drinking song and they sang until they passed out together on opposite sides of the couch.

She hadn't slept so soundly in a very long time.

**A/N:**

**The parts of the story that are through omnitool messaging start with the initals of the person sending the message. For instance, KS means Kairi Shepard sent the message. JM, Jeff Moreau and ML Miranda Lawson. **

**Please, leave reviews to give me suggestions. I've never written a fanfiction before and I don't know if y'all like my writing style. Suggestions are welcome! **


	4. Chapter 4

"Commander."

"Commander."

A muffled groan came from somewhere to the right of her. "Spirits, Shepard. Answer that."

"Hung? Hnnngg. Ugh. What is it?"

"Commander, Ms. Lawson has requested entry to your quarters."

There was a series of muffled groans and some particularly colorful expletives coming from the two on the couch. Shepard sat up and rolled her neck, and immediately pushed her palms into her eyes resting her elbows on her knees. Garrus glared at the empty bottles on the table and then at Shepard.

"That's my cue to leave." Now Shepard returned Garrus' glare. "What? No wayy, Shepard. Not sticking around for the toungue lashing you'll get from that one. My skull aches as it is. She's too .. what did you call it .. bitchy? For me. See you."

He ran into Miranda at the door and tried to look somewhat turian and not like an extremely hungover husk, sidestepping her and muttering some forced greeting as he entered the elevator. Miranda scowled at him and walked into the captain's quarters where Shepard was stumbling to the stairs.

"Good morning, Miranda." She said through clenched teeth.

"Shepard. I see you had ..fun.. last night. But we've got reports to file. Maybe next time you can get drunk on your own time, and not ours?"

Shepard stifled the outburst that was bubbling just beneath the surface. She felt like she was run through by a company of krogans last night.. She must've drank more than she thought. Instead, she conceded and said, "I'll think about it. Let me stop by the med bay and eat breakfast, I'll meet you in your office in an hour."

Miranda arched a brow at Shepard and grudgingly nodded her ascent, turned and left.

It was going to be a long day.

After she had eaten, she was half heartedly listening to Miranda and responding even less. She couldn't bring herself to be interested in the reports to the Illusive Man. She never was much for paperwork. After prattling on for more than an hour, Miranda stopped talking mid sentence and watched while Shepard busied herself with picking at her fingernails, not even noticing Miranda had stopped talking and was staring at her incredulously.

Miranda gave out an exasperate huff. "Commander. This isn't going to work, is it?"

"Um, sure. Whatever you think Miranda." She continued to pick at her nails.

"Shepard. What did I just ask you?"

"Huh? Oh." Shepard threw her head back and sank into the chair. "I'm sorry, Miranda. Really. I don't have the attention span for this. I'm not a secretary; I'm a soldier. Any way you could just handle all of this paperwork nonsense?"

Miranda sat in her chair and crossed her arms while giving her a long stare.

"Sure, Shepard. It seems to already be the case, at any rate."

Shepard hadn't expected that response. For all intents and purposes, Miranda was the proverbial slave driver on this ship... but she had just let Shepard off the hook. "Really? Why the sudden burst of compassion, Ms. Lawson?" she drawled, skeptically.

Miranda arched a brow. "I'll admit, you were very efficient on Omega. Now that you've got Garrus, I don't think you'll be taking me on the ground team very much. I'll have the time. I'm better at this job than you are, clearly. You're better at your job than I am. I'm your second in command, so I feel that this is... mutually beneficial."

Shepard jumped up and shook her hand. "See? I knew you couldn't be all icy through and through. I think we could be friends if we made an effort. Just try to dial back the insubordinate bitchiness from time to time, and we'll be alright." Shepard threw her a sarcastic grin. "Thanks again, Miranda. We'll be at the citadel in a few days. Try to take a break between now and then. You deserve it."

And with that, Shepard decided to go see her newest recruits. On the way, she sent Garrus a message.

KS: Gare, the ice queen is defrosting. Serious.

GV: That's great, Shepard, but my head has literally and figuratively split in half. What even happened last night?

KS: Wouldn't you like to know? I'll just say that you got well acquainted with the Hanar edition of Fornax.

GV: I'm going to throw up. Bye, Shepard.

She chuckled as she walked into the lab. She looked up to see Moridin tapping furiously at a terminal talking to himself.

"Ah, Shepard. Good. Wanted to talk to you."

"Hey, Moridin. Settling in okay?"

"Yes, yes. Already began work with Collector data. Implications, intriguing. Also, saw that your death was not a myth. Looked into Project Lazarus. Fascinating. Could use for variety of purposes, technology truly remarkable. Will have to send samples to STG."

Shepard's higher functioning apparently wasn't working as well as she had thought, so all she could do is stare at the talkative salarian in disbelief. Wow, he talked _really_ fast.

He apparently took note of her dumbfounded expression and went on another tangent. "Hm. Faint smell of alcohol, eyes squinted, stress lines visible. Equilibrium slightly off. Ah. Shepard, you are hungover. Here, take this." He shuffled through a cabinet and tossed her a bottle of pills that she almost didn't catch. "Will help. Do not worry, am not offended. Settling in nicely, thank you. Have a good day, Shepard." He ushered her out of the lab. The doors closed behind her and she was still staring blankly. She shook her head, looked over her shoulder, and shook the entire encounter off. Hell, at least he was interesting.

She decided she needed a cup of coffee after that, and went to her quarters. She plopped down on the couch and pulled the bottle of mystery pills out of her pocket and eyed them suspiciously. There was no label. She barely even knew the doctor, but she didn't think he was trying to poison her.. and frankly, her headache was getting pretty desperate. What the hell. She popped one in her mouth and was pleasantly surprised that it wiped the headache out completely. She'd have to make a note to thank him profusely later.

Feeling refreshed, she decided to go talk to the old merc, but he wasn't in the mood for company. Testy, that one. No matter. She'll get through to him eventually. Garrus had a glaringly red lock on the main battery, so she figured he was still feeling pretty nasty. Nothing to do but work out, then.

Maybe she'd visit with Kelly later. Someone on this ship was going to talk to her, damnit. They still had 3 days before reaching the Citadel.


	5. Chapter 5

After staring at her ceiling for an indefinite amount of time, Shepard finally couldn't take it anymore. She roused out of her trance and went to CIC in her sweats and tank top. She was still getting used to this not being an Alliance vessel, and intended to take full advantage of that fact. Still a little unnerving that she wasn't a "Commander" anymore, even though everyone still called her that. She didn't mind.

She found the CIC to be only filled with the skeleton crew. It must be late. She must've been daydreaming for longer than she thought. Slightly disgruntled, she went to the mess for a snack since she apparently missed dinner, and shot out a mass message to the ground crew asking if anyone was awake. She got no response. They weren't. She twiddled her thumbs and looked up at her offending bangs and blew them, futilely, out of her face. Hmph.

_Guess I could see who all we have left to pick up, _she thought to herself._ Maybe I'll find another night owl. _ Hah. Fat chance.

An asari Justicar. Interesting. She idly wondered what that was. She felt a sudden pang of sadness at the loss of her personal favorite asari, Liara. She wondered what Liara would say about her new alliance with Cerberus. She shook her head. No use in dwelling on that right now. Who else? An assassin. A drell assassin. What the hell was a drell? And here she thought she knew most of the galactic species. She jumped on the extranet and quirked a brow. They're very .. colorful. Were those scales? Kinda like a snake. Hm. Not too extremely different physically, aside from the skin...from what she could gather at first glance. Hm. Interesting. She discovered the story of how the Hanar saved them from their dying arid planet, Rakhana, and now they lived in biodomes on Kahje. Not much else about them. There must not be many of them. Explains why she'd never met one, at any rate.

A convict. Shepard did a double take. A convict? Really? Hah. Goes by Jack. Allegedly the best human biotic anywhere. That could be useful, indeed. She made a note to look into his criminal record. Hopefully it wasn't anything she couldn't learn to live with. The last thing they needed was a whackjob serial killer on board. That'd be perfect.

A Krogan Warlord. Hmph. Again, a pang of sadness for her friend Wrex. Shepard thought fondly of him. Maybe we could just skip the warlord and get him instead. Where was he? Hah, he'd be the only one of the old crew to be unsurprised at her coming back from the dead. He'd named her Krogan during their time on the Normandy SR1. He'd be so proud. Wrex had more or less adopted her as his daughter, and she as his father. It was an unusual, but welcome, dynamic. Hopefully this .. Okeer, was half the krogan Wrex was and they'd get along quite nicely.

That's enough for one night. Time to get to bed. They'd arrive at the Citadel in the morning.

* * *

They finally resupplied and got some upgrades for the weapons. Conveniently, Kasumi wasn't hard to find at all, and was on board when Shepard returned from the inevitably disappointing meeting with the Council and Anderson. She was reluctantly reinstated as a Spectre, at least. Sufficiently pissed off, Shepard decided to have a team meeting since she had gathered a sufficient amount of eclectic people for her crew.

"EDI, tell everyone to meet me in the conference room."

Shepard arrived before everyone else. Soon after, the room was full of her new recruits... and Garrus.

"I hope you're all settled in nicely. Here's what we're looking at. We have some errands to run, but as far as I'm concerned, I want to finish all recruitment first. We still have to get quite a few more heads on board, and once we acquire everyone we can practice working together as a team. The Collector's base will be no easy task, and for us to succeed we're going to need to be very familiar with each other. I intend on forging us all in trials by fire to a finely honed Collector killing machine."

She glanced around the room and found there to be no objections. Good.

"We still have a justicar, an assasain, a krogan warload, and a convict to get. Hopefully we can find a few more along the way. I vote we head to Illium, where we will find the justicar and assasin. It's a time sensitive mission, and Illium is only about two days fight from that relay. Thoughts?"

"I think it would make the most of our resources to do exactly that, Commander. Joker?" Miranda looked at the pilot.

"On it." He wobbled out of the room to set the course.

"The rest of you, try to get to know each other a little. I suggest a movie night. Kasumi, would you be so kind as to offer up your quarters for this?" Shepard gave the a smile.

"Sure thing, Shep. I'll mix the drinks." The mirth in her eyes lit up the room. Shepard was warming up to the mischievous thief rather quickly.

Zaeed spoke up, sharing a look with Garrus, Moridin, and Jacob. "Ah, Shepard, I don' think me an the boys 'ere are too keen on 'at. If we've gotta spend some time together, we're gonna play some cards, eh Garrus?"

"Ah, hmmm, yeah, Shepard. You and the ladies can watch movies. Maybe next time." Zaeed lifted a brow at Garrus' response.

She chuckled. "Fine, fine. You boys play nice. Remember people, we're all going to be watching each other's backs out there. We've got too much at stake. Please, really make an effort." Shepard was satisfied there wasn't much objection.

"Alright team, dismissed."

* * *

Several hours and lots of chores later, the ladies of the Normandy converged in Kasumi's new quarters.

"I've already made cocktails! Help yourselves." Kasumi gestured emphatically to the bar.

Kelly piped up, a little shyly. "I brought Fleet and Flotilla.."

Shepard smirked. "Sounds like we're off to a good start." The girls plopped down on the couch with their drinks in hand.

"Miranda, I'm pleased you graced us with your presence this evening."

"Well, it is good for morale, you know. Besides, I know everything about all of you on paper. I'd rather hear it from you personally." she said with a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders.

"Ah, point. We all know about each other a little unconventially, I guess. So.. Kelly." She turned a predatory grin on the psychologist. "Tell me about yourself. No run of the mill stuff, either. I want something juicy." Shepard wiggled her brows and leaned in.

"Juicy?" She giggled. "Well, alright. But I need a few more drinks in me first."

"Fair enough."

For the rest of the evening, cocktails flowed like water. Miranda was surprisingly easy to get along with once you got past the cold exterior. Kasumi always had a clever quip ready and kept the conversation light hearted and hilarious. The ladies discovered that Kelly was a little promiscuous and had in fact slept with most species within Council space, much to Shepard's surprise. She seemed so innocent at first. Who knew. Of course, the women dug every last juicy detail out of Kelly's various encounters and the women dissolved into a several fits of laughter. Kasumi regaled them with tales of her exploits in highly secure areas, and Miranda confessed to having had a relationship with Jacob.

Everyone else had shared their stories and expectantly looked to Shepard.

"What?"

"Come on, Shep." Kasumi drawled over her glass. "Your turn." The rest of the women nodded in agreement.

"What? I really don't have any crazy stories. I haven't been .. uhh.. involved in .. oh, god." She drug her hand down her face, exasperated. "I haven't been with anyone in years."

Kelly's jaw dropped. "Commander! We're on a suicide mission. We've got to get you laid. What about Garrus? You seem rather fond of him."

Shepard threw a pillow at her and choked on her drink. "Garrus?! You've got to be kidding me. He's practically big bird.. and he's like my brother. That'd be way too weird. Nope. No one on this ship. I'll admit, though, I do miss cuddling."

"Aw, Shep. Cuddlebug extraordinaire." Kasumi sighed wistfully. "I wouldn't have pegged you as the type. A true romantic."

Shepard blushed slightly. "Alright. You got me. Romance isn't dead!"

The women talked all night about all manner of things, and Shepard was pleased everyone was having a good time. This was good.

Hopefully the men weren't killing each other over their game of Skyllian Five.

* * *

**AN: I'm trying to show some bonds being made and get to know Kairi Shepard a little more in the best way I knew how. A girl's night! Now we have a pleasant foundation to work with. Hope you enjoyed!**


	6. Chapter 6

The next few days of travel passed peacefully. Shepard and Kasumi had been virtually inseperable since their night of drinking and gossiping; Shepard had taken an affinity to the young thief's easy, comfortable, and friendly demeanor. Garrus had made himself scarce; she sensed it had something to do with the reaction he had when he'd mentioned Sidonis. She tried to remind herself he'd come to her in his own time, when he was ready to talk. She'd be patient with him.

After returning to the Normandy from her adventures on Illium, and indeed – adventures they were – Shepard felt like she'd been doused in an extra large bucket of ice water. She had a lot to digest, and after seeing Samara and Thane to their respective rooms after a brief introduction to the Normandy and her crew, she retreated to her cabin to contemplate the day's excursion. She told EDI to activate privacy mode, muting all notifications on her terminal and locking her quarters so she'd be left alone for a short while.

She sat down at her desk with a sigh that would've put the most haughty Asari matriarch to shame. What an emotional rollercoaster the last twenty four hours (or whatever the Illium equivalent to twenty four hours was – she was never good at time conversion) had been. The most painful event had been her unexpected reunion with her dear friend Liara. Seeing Liara in her new skin had broken Shepard's heart; her naive, sweet, and shy friend seemed only a shadow of who she once was; her inner light almost extinguished by the two years that had passed during Shepard's demise. She'd certainly never expected to hear Liara threaten to flay someone alive with her mind – an interesting prospect, indeed - but she had to admit.. she was impressed. Liara was talented in her newfound industry and was able to direct Shepard straight to the Justicar and the Assassin without so much as a glance at her terminal. She had begged Liara to come with her on the Normandy, but she had refused. She'd cited some personal business, but promised to keep in touch; a promise Shepard would surely hold her to.

Shepard had never even heard of a Justicar before she met Samara, and if she was being completely honest with herself.. the oath Samara had sworn to her was more than a little unnerving, and the Code Samara lived by just rankled her. She'd swallow her doubts and try to understand her, anyway. Besides, she had more combat experience than nearly everyone on the Normandy combined. She was glad Samara was on her side. The death threat didn't go unnoticed by Shepard, though; hopefully she wouldn't give her any reason to kill her assuming they made it back from the Collector's base.

Then there was the Drell assassin.. and what a show that display had been. She'd watched him fall from the ceiling like a perfectly orchestrated dance of death, killing all before him in under twenty seconds with a grace and poise that could only be achieved by years of dedicated practice. She'd let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding when he began to pray over the still warm corpse of Nassana, and found herself entranced by his steely gaze when she had asked for his assistance for her mission. It was exciting to finally see a Drell in person, and the rumors were true – they were an enigmatic race, and she'd caught herself staring at his ..skin? Scales? Admiring the coloration and vibrant hue. Much to her embarrassment, he'd apparently noticed but had no response other than to raise an eye ridge at her. She'd frozen in place with Garrus and Kasumi giggling furiously behind her and visably winced, but tried to shrug it off with the grace of an Elcor and told everyone to meet her back at the Normandy.

And here they were. Talk about good first impressions.

Shepard was well and thoroughly mortified.

She let out a groan and smacked her head against her desk, causing her hamster Hercules to squeak and seek out emergency shelter in his little wheel. She glanced up and smirked at the tiny creature. At least Hercules didn't care about her lack of social finesse.

She looked at the clock. It was well past most everyone's bedtime, and she'd forgotten to eat again today. She huffed; Gardener would surely give her another lecture and take it personally; he thought she didn't like his cooking. Might as well go grab a snack.

She sat in the dim quiet of the mess hall, munching on a bowl of various fruits. She was tossing blueberries into her mouth when she got the unmistakable creeping feeling of being watched. She didn't even turn around when she spoke. "Kas, is that you? I don't know how many times I have to tell you, you can't sneak up on me, girl." She felt more than heard a deep hum and all of her hair stood on end. Oh, shit. She blanched. "Thane. Hi. Sorry.. Kasumi is always lurking around trying to startle me.." She shook her head and scrunched her nose. "Sorry. How are you? Can't sleep?"

There was that low hum again. Was that a chuckle? "It's quite alright, Shepard. My intention was not to startle you. I hadn't realized anyone else would be awake at this hour." Thane remained stoic and calm, seemingly staring holes through her head with his big black orbs of eyes.

She was gaping at him; scrambling for something to fill the awkward silence when she settled on "Ah, yeah.. I'm the ship's resident night owl. I'm usually the only one up and about this late, don't worry. I won't disturb your privacy."

He cocked his head slightly, apparently his translator was struggling with the term "night owl" and then he nictated a few times and inclined his head at her. "Perhaps now you will have some company. May I join you?"

"Of course, please. Sit." She gestured at the seat across from her. He inclined his head slightly and retreated into the kitchen, retrieving a mug and pulling a pouch from a hidden pocket within his leather jacket. "Would you care for a cup?" He gestured at the mug and looked at her expectantly.

"Ah.. what is it, exactly?"

"An herbal aide for relaxation, commonly used on Illium. It tastes of rahke and kahbu, although I'm unsure what your human equivalent would be."

She quirked a brow and let out a long breath. "Sure. I can't promise I'll like it, but I can't say no to a new experience." She gave him a small smile and scrunched her nose again. That gesture seemed to make him hesitate, but if it was hesitation it was gone so fast she wasn't even sure if she saw it, and soon he was presenting her with a steaming mug that smelled of echinachea. She held it up to her nose and breathed deeply, and took a cautious sip. She'd never been one for tea but the effects were nearly instantaneous, muscles she didn't realize were tense began to relax and she could breath easier.

Thane watched her as if he'd received the desired and expected reaction and began to speak, "I must confess, I've never interacted with many humans outside of my contracts, and even fewer sapient creatures who challenge my skills. You made quite the impression on me today, Shepard." She wondered if the slightly raised brow ridge at the end of that statement had anything to do with her practically swooning over him in the Dantius towers. She began to blush slightly, which earned her a slight upturn in the corner of his lips. _Oh, shit._

She tried to recover. "I've been told worse. You made quite an entrance yourself, there, Krios. I don't think I've ever seen anyone move so quickly."

He inclined his head again."I was trained by the best. Later, I became the best."

The curve of her lip denoted the understatement there. "Trained by the Hanar, joined the Compact?"

He nictated – did that mean he was surprised? "Indeed. I was unaware this was common knowledge."

"I don't know if it is, honestly. I may or may not have done some digging before I recruited you. Cerberus handed me your dossier but I was shocked that your race even existed. No offense. I thought I knew all of the species in Council space. I am pleasantly surprised I was wrong."

"Hm." Her frank admission was refreshing to him. He was still curious about the famous Commander and her legacy. "I confess that I, too, did some .. digging, as you called it. It appears that you have risen from the dead. Is there any truth to this claim, or is it the media sensationalizing you?"

She froze; apparently he was as forward as she. "Mm. Yes, I died. I was killed by a collector ship. Next thing I knew, Cerberus resurrected me, and well.. the rest is history."

"That is … intriguing." His mind reeled with the implications if she spoke true. He longed to ask her more about the sea, but decided to hold off until they knew each other better. He studied her. Her features were soft and light in the quiet of the mess; her form frail but firm without armor. She was so .. human. He found her hair and the whiteness around her irises fascinating, but he wouldn't stare overlong. He had his eidetic memory to assist him.

The silence became oppressive for the commander. She didn't know Thane well enough to guess at his thought process so she stood and excused herself. "Well, I reckon I should get some shut eye.. or at least pretend to. I'll see you in a few hours at breakfast. That's at 0600 by the way." She squeezed his shoulder as she walked past and realized in the back of her mind that it was surprisingly solid. "Goodnight, Krios."

He was shocked at the sudden touch. He wasn't the type that welcomed it unnecessarily; in his line of work, it could mean death. He stiffened and then relaxed. Even only her hand radiated warmth. Surprisingly pleasant. Interesting.

He inclined his head to her.

"Goodnight, commander. May you find peaceful sleep."

She was already gone. 

* * *

**AN: We finally got Thane! Yes, I know I'm rearranging events.. but hang in there. Please review and let me know what you think! Thanks! xx**


	7. Chapter 7

Thane was unaccustomed to living in such close proximity with allies. He was still skeptical about the others aboard the Normandy and chose to observe them as if he were researching a contract. His only purpose here was to try to right the wrongs of his past and saw no urgent need for the seemingly constant socialization among the crew. True, he could see the merit of becoming accustomed to each other's habits in battle; but here on the ship, the idle time between missions, he saw no benefit in developing relationships with anyone. Thus, he stowed away in his quarters - the quiet hum, dry air, and ambient light suited him well enough. He had meditation and literature to pass the time, should he become bored, and of course, his physical routine to maintain his prowess.

He'd noted the presence of Ms. Goto immediately. He was unsure if she knew who he was; but he certainly knew her. He had respect for the tiny creature. Their paths had crossed a few times in the past while he was at work. She had never interfered with his contracts, and more than once she had thrown things in his favor – again, he was unsure if it had been intentional – distracting guards or disabling security and saving him valuable time. He knew she was a master at her art. If everyone on Shepard's crew was as competent as he and Ms. Goto, he was thoroughly impressed. Shepard was gathering the best of the best.

Then there was the matter of Shepard herself. He couldn't compartmentalize the woman, and it irked him. It wasn't often he couldn't read an individual rather quickly. He'd spent his life observing others, after all. She blazed into the Dantius towers, all hellfire and fury, a force to be reckoned with to be sure. At first glance, he thought her destructive and compulsive, but the more he observed her he realized that she was directing a symphony of slaughter; every move tactical and efficient. He could see why she had become a legend. Her compassion was also unexpected, ceasing her fire and aiding the innocent along the way. She raced him to the top of that tower in what was probably the most exhilarating experience he'd had in a decade. Then, after he'd dealt with Nassana and her guard, the woman stared at him in what he was sure was awe. It was rather humbling and simultaneously perplexing. When he'd come across her in the mess hall late last night, she was not the woman he'd encountered on the field. She was dressed in her pajamas and stumbled over her words, showing her more human side to him. Something about her was just niggling at him, and when he'd next looked at the clock he realized he'd been doing nothing but thinking about her for hours. This realization jolted him. What was going on? It was then he noted laughter from the room next door, Ms. Goto's quarters, had ceased. He heard the Commander's unmistakable step pass by his room and he recalled she had called herself a night owl. Tonight, then. He'd talk to her and see if he could uncover the source of his infatuation.

* * *

It was late; all were asleep, as per usual. Shepard had spoken with Gardner earlier and explained her odd eating schedule and begged his pardon, and he granted her sole permission to cook for herself at night. So, with this card in her back pocket, Shepard mosied on down to the mess and tried to quietly gather a bowl and muffin pan. She'd been craving some something fierce and promised to bring one to Kasumi in the morning. She busied herself and started singing a song quietly that had been stuck in her skull for the past day. She'd lost herself apparently and began to gently sway while she mixed her batter, singing her song..

_"dance me to your beauty with a burning violin,_

_dance me through the panic till i'm safely gathered in,_

_touch me with your naked hand or touch me with your glove,_

_dance me.._

_to the end of love._

_Oh, dance me.._"

It was then that a specific Drell chose to clear his throat, standing behind the counter. Shepard jumped and in a series of unfortunate events, threw her batter-covered spoon over her shoulder, promptly smacking Thane right in the face, simultaneously throwing her hand down that tipped her bowl over before she was able to get a grip on herself. Now drenched in batter and muttering a string of colorful expletives, she turned around to apologize to whoever startled her but the sight of the stoic Drell with a shocked expression and batter all over his face immediately reduced her to hysterics.

"Oh, god, Thane! I'm so sorry!" She tried to reign in her giggling at his expense, but seeing him raise a hand to the foreign substance on his face and recoil in what was surely horror just made her laugh harder. The Drell glared slightly at the Commander before absorbing that she, too, was covered in the mixture brought a smile to his lips. He stifled the laughter that almost escaped him and instead walked around the offending mess in the floor and got them both towels.

"Arashu, help her."

Shepard snorted. "Did you just plead to your gods for me?"

"Indeed. It seems you need their assistance."

"Oh, you can say that again.." She began to clean herself up as much as possible before giving up with a frustrated huff to her bangs. "You really need to work on how you approach people in the middle of the night." She crossed her arms and watched him finish wiping his face with thinly veiled amusement.

He decided not to humble that with a response. "I did not know you could sing, Shepard."

She froze and began to redden, "How much of that did you see? Er, hear?"

"Enough. It was quite beautiful. What was it?"

Her blush deepened. "It was ah.. an old earth song my mother sang to my father a lot. It reminds me of simpler times." She gestured for him to sit while she began making a new batch of muffins.

"Interesting. Would you mind sending it to me? I'd like to hear it in it's entirety. It sounds lovely; though doubtful anything could top the show I just got from the infallible Commander Shepard." He smirked at her. "Don't fret, your secret is safe with me. What is that you're making?"

"I'm going to pretend like you didn't say that, and I will send it to you. I'm making blueberry muffins. Kasumi and I were craving them. Would you like to try one?" She put the new batch in the oven. "They'll be ready in a few minutes. They're best fresh and warm."

He eyed her stains suspiciously and looked reluctant to take her up on her peace offering. "I tried your tea, remember? Come on. It won't bite." She grinned at him.

"Alright, Shepard. I will. But tell me. You are a series of contradictions packed into such a small frame. You wreak havoc on all who oppose you. You show compassion and mercy to the innocent. You can talk your way in circles around a politician, yet you're awkward in an endearing fashion. You are a professional marksman, yet a disaster in the kitchen."

She quirked a brow at him. "What was your question, exactly? And for the record, I am not a disaster in the kitchen. You startled me, you stealthy slut."

"You wound me. I am not more promiscuous than anyone else, I'd imagine. I just don't understand you. I suppose you're right. There is a question, but I do not know what to ask."

She studied him for a moment and then shrugged. "You'll get used to it." With that, she pulled the muffins out of the oven and plated them. She snagged one for herself and one for Thane. Once they were both sitting, Shepard all but devoured hers in a single bite, but noticed Thane's lingering reluctance. "Come on, you big baby. Take a bite."

He scowled at her, but did as instructed. The moist crumbles were surprisingly delightful. "Shepard, this is.. delicious." She smiled knowingly and they finished eating in silence. She got up to stash away the rest for the morning.

"Thank you."

She smiled. "You're welcome, Thane." She scrunched her nose in that peculiar way again.  
"And sorry again about all of the chaos."

He nodded in ascent. She was walking away, but at the last second she turned to him and spoke. "Thane? If you tell anyone I was singing.. I can think of several creative ways to kill you." She winked and went about her way.

Thane was shellshocked. He'd come looking for answers and was left messy and with more questions than he could handle. He looked down and sighed heavily, and resigned himself back to his quarters.

He'd only just met her, but the winds of change were blowing. She would be the death of him, he just knew it.

* * *

**AN: Thanks for sticking with me this far. For the curious, Shepard was singing "Dance me to the End of Love" by the Civil Wars. I'd still really love to hear some feedback from you all. Thanks for reading!**

**Also, disclaimer: I don't own mass effect or the characters, just my imagination.**


	8. Chapter 8

Thank you to my first reviewer! Standard disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect or it's characters, only my musings.

* * *

Kasumi came barreling into Shepard's room and pounced on her bed, engulfing her in a full body hug. "Good morning, sunshine!" She giggled and rolled off of the groaning commander.

Shepard was disoriented and lifted her head up to see the smiling thief who had taken residence in her bed. She rubbed her eyes. "G'morning Kas.. uhng. What time is it?" She sat up reluctantly.

Kasumi beamed at her. "Early enough, Shep. Those muffins were the best I've had in.. I think, ever. You must've made them last night?"

Shepard wasn't awake enough for all of this excitement just yet. She turned, bleary eyed, to Kasumi and narrowed her eyes and plopped her head down on the thief's stomach, wrapping her arms around her and jerking the covers over her head. "Mmmhm. Five more minutes."

Kasumi giggled at her petulant friend. "Aw, come on now Shep. Rise and shine!" Her request was met with a muffled "uhhuhhh" and she began stroking her friend's hair when a mischievous thought struck her. "Hmm.. I couldn't help but notice a certain alluring Drell prowls the halls at night, too. Any chance you ran into him?"

With that, Shepard shot up, wide-eyed, and was reminded of her incident with Thane. Kasumi quirked a brow that was begging for explanation. Shepard pulled her knees into her chest and looked back over at her friend. "Ohmygod, Kasumi. I made an ass out of myself. He just showed up out of nowhere and scared the living daylights out of me and I made such a mess.. and he probably thinks I'm completely ridiculous. Some commander I am." She groaned. "Just do me a favor? Shoot me now. Make it quick."

Kasumi barely stifled the amusement – she was silently thanking her hood right about now – and hopped out of bed. "Oh, now. It couldn't be that bad. He shouldn't have snuck up on you, anyway. But you gotta admit, Shep, he's not that hard on the eyes. All mysterious and broody. I think our infallible commander has a crush..."

Shepard threw a pillow at her. "I don't have time for crushes, Kasumi. I barely even know him. I can't seem to talk to him without making myself look like an idiot."

"That's because you are an idiot, Shep. It's okay. We all love you anyway."

Shepard glared at her halfheartedly and pushed her on the arm. "Whatever. I need some coffee. Come on, let's go."

* * *

They were still a few days out from Korlus, en route to recruit the Krogan Warlord. That would be an interesting edition to the crew, for sure. Shepard sat in the hold thinking of her friend Wrex while listening to music. Kasumi was locked in her quarters, and no one else seemed ready to talk. She'd never been on such a close-mouthed ship before. Usually, she would socialize to bide her time and to ward off unwarranted thoughts. Not today, it seemed. She settled on running on the treadmill. It was like a form of meditation to her. Not like she had anything else to do, anyway.

In Life Support, Thane sat overlooking the drive core. This was quickly becoming a habit for him; staring off endlessly and contemplating events of the past, and not least of which: Shepard. He'd gone to her last night in an effort of trying to understand her more, but it seemed his social skills had atrophied worse than he thought. It'd been years since he'd had anyone to talk to, even longer since he had the desire to speak with anyone at all. He was being pulled toward her, inexplicably; but not without resistance. He rationalized to himself that it was because of her legacy; it had captivated him. He yearned to know more about her and what made her gears turn. He tried to shake off the offending thoughts when he heard the unmistakable sound of a cloaking device and in an instant he was up and facing the intruder. It was Ms. Goto. He relaxed visibly, but was still on high alert. "Ms. Goto. Did you need something?"

Her painted lips cracked into a smirk, and she sauntered to his collection of guns. "Nice rack, Krios." She turned and tossed him a wink. He inclined his head at her and gestured for her to sit.

"I admit, I was curious if you knew of me. I'm assuming I was correct. You do."

She snorted. "Of course I do. I may not have your memory, but I remember well enough."

"Indeed."

The silence stretched for a moment, and Kasumi fidgeted a bit. Finally, she said, "So. How are you liking it onboard the Normandy? Different from your life of solitude, I'd imagine?"

"Very. I prefer the solitude, but I am nothing if not adaptable. I will adjust. Tell me, Ms. Goto. What do you know of the Commander?"

The twinkle in her eyes threw him momentarily. It hadn't taken him as long as she'd expected to ask. This was good. She smiled. "Everything the media knows, of course, and then some. How would you describe what makes a person, anyway? Seems to me, the only way to discover is to seek for yourself."

"A fair point."

"Welp, gotta go, Krios. And hey.. don't let her blunt nature throw you off. She's really quite warm." And with that, she cloaked and left him alone once again.

His memory flashed back to the brief touch Shepard had bestowed on him. Her warmth had seeped through to his very core. Arashu, preserve him. He had to find her again tonight.

When the crew began going to sleep, Thane mindfully walked with a heavier step to prevent from startling the Commander; but she was not in the mess hall as he expected. He raised a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. He was being ridiculous, but the thought of finding her had occupied him all day. He decided to hazard a message to her, just to see if she was awake. He sat down at a table and wrote:

**TK: **Shepard, I do not mean to disturb you, but I am restless. Are you awake?

In the loft, Shepard eyed her omnitool suspiciously. Joker better not be sending her Elcor porn again. She picked it up and nearly choked when she saw it was a message from Thane. What had gotten into her? She was acting like a child. Ugh.

**KS**: Yeah, I'm awake. Up in the loft watching vids and drinking. Feel free to join me, if you'd like. Pajamas only. I won't have you in here making me feel underdressed. Door's open.

Thane quirked an eyeridge. He was being foolish. He had to admit, that was a casual atmosphere. He wouldn't get a better opportunity. He sighed and headed back to life support to change into his … pajamas.

* * *

He entered the loft to find Shepard splayed out on the couch tossing some popcorn in her mouth. When she saw him, she scrambled to stand up and scrubbed a hand through her hair. "Hey, Thane. Have a seat. Whiskey is in the cooler, help yourself."

Thane was completely bewildered, but he didn't show it. Instead, he poured himself a drink and took a seat on the couch opposite from Shepard. She eyed his full glass and raised a brow. "Uh... Thane, have you ever had whiskey before?"

"No. I have not."

She inhaled sharply, concealing her amusement. "Ah, alright. Take a sip, would you?"

He did as instructed, and Shepard inwardly cursed herself for not recording his reaction on her omnitool. Thane's face contorted as he tried to down the offensive liquid and failed miserably, sputtering and coughing everywhere. "By the Gods," he wheezed between coughs, "Why do you drink that?"

She was trying so hard not to laugh that it hurt. Funny, she seemed to be doing that a lot lately. "Thane, it's liquor. Most people don't drink it straight. Here. Give me that." She snatched his glass up and poured most of it's content into her own, shot the rest, and mixed him an Arnold Palmer. "Here. This is popular among the ladies where I come from." She smirked and winked at him, and he tasted his new beverage. It was good.

"This is much more .. pleasant, Shepard. Thank you. What are you watching?"

"My pleasure." She gave a mock bow to him, looking up at him through her lashes so he caught the friendly jibe, and took her seat rather closer to him than she had been. "Honestly? I wasn't even watching it. It was just on. I'm going crazy up here. I've never been so lonely on a ship before."

Thane hadn't been expecting that. "I.. know the feeling, Shepard. I've spent the last ten years alone. My body acted of it's own accord. My mind has been in slumber for too long." Where did that come from? He hadn't intended on sharing that.. But looking at her, so human and fragile, he couldn't help himself. He decided she was beautiful in her own way, and she must have caught him staring at her because she began to redden and busied herself with something else. The alcohol must've been more potent than he'd expected.

They sat in comfortable silence for some time, watching but not watching the vid on the holoscreen. Thane noticed Shepard had a glint in her eye. "What is it, Shepard?"

She bit her lip, an action that was completely endearing to him, and almost whispered, "Thane? Can I ask you something entirely inappropriate?"

"Anything, Shepard."

"Can I... Can I touch you?"

He nictated a few times and cocked his head. "Touch me? May I inquire into your reasoning for such a request?"

"I just.. I just want to know. I've never met a Drell before you, and I want to know if it feels like a snake's skin. I'm sorry. Nevermind. Forget I said anything." She threw her hands up and scrubbed them through her hair again.

Thane looked at her for a long moment. "Well?"

"..Well, what?"

"Aren't you going to touch me?"

"Oh. I.. Okay. Yeah. Give me your hand."

Thane scooted closer to her, never breaking eye contact, and extended his hand palm up. She looked from him to his hand and back to him again before squeezing her eyes shut and inhaling deeply to calm her nerved. She suddenly realized he smelled of sandalwood and leather, and it was simply intoxicating. Her pulse skyrocketed. She opened her eyes and tenatively reached for his hands. When he didn't immediately pull away, she looked back up to him and he raised a brow ridge as if to say "Go on..." so she resumed her studies. Her fingers traces the lines on his palm up to his webbed fingers. She touched them softly, and rolled his hand over so the vibrant scales were glaring at her. She gently ran her thumb down the back of his hand, to his wrist.. when she realized she had lingered overlong and released him abruptly.

"Wow. I'm sorry. It's so soft. I got a little carried away there." She raised her shoulder and scrunched her nose like she does, "I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable. I was just curious."

His lip quirked slightly. "Your skin is made of silk. How do you prevent yourself from getting injured in battle?"

"Hey! I'm not that fragile. It's a lot tougher than it looks, thankyouverymuch." She said with a snort.

All at once, Thane realized how his body was practically humming for her, and he didn't understand it. He needed to leave.

"Thank you for your company this evening Shepard. Perhaps we may do this another night. I need to retire for the evening." He stood, slightly off kilter, and bowed to her.

"Oh. Okay.. goodnight, Thane."

He was already in the elevator. "Goodnight, Shepard."


End file.
